


Come, My Darling, Homeward bound (When All is Lost, Then All is Found)

by Rai_Knightshade



Category: Ever After High
Genre: Family Feels, Friendship, Gen, Graduation, Grief/Mourning, Letters, Letters from the past, Loss of Parent(s), Moving On, Yeah so basically my kids are graduating, aka said parents are dead, and they're reading letters from their parents, btw theres some mention of relationships some of these kids are in, but it's blink and you'll miss it and not the main focus of the fic, except half my kids have Disney Mom Syndrome, so I tagged this as gen, so they're having a lot of emotions come up while they read these letters, time capsules
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:09:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29692731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rai_Knightshade/pseuds/Rai_Knightshade
Summary: Today was Graduation Day at Ever After High, and the atmosphere was filled with excitement, relief, and pride. The students were just filing out of Legacy Plaza, their animated voices filling the arena with a low buzz of conversation about future plans, new goals, reminiscing on the past, and other such topics. Two by two they made their way up to Destiny Hall, the companion building to Heritage Hall, where they'd meet their parents for one last Ever After High tradition: the retrieval of the previous generation's Time Capsule Letters.
Kudos: 2





	Come, My Darling, Homeward bound (When All is Lost, Then All is Found)

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah this deals quite a bit with the unique grief that comes from losing the parent you're inheriting your destiny (or what was supposed to be your destiny) from, and just, losing parents in general, so if that hits too close to home for you this might not be the fic for you. If, however, you're wanting grief + catharsis of joining with your remaining family/friends who share your pain, this might be just the fic for you.  
> OC's In this Fic:  
> Rose de Beauté, daughter of Beauty and the Beast  
> Andre Fairchild, son of the Imp Prince  
> Arion Neptune, son of the Little Mermaid  
> Karina Eikenkappe, daughter of Katie Woodencloak  
> Kenneth Eikenkappe, son of Katie Woodencloak but successor of the Ashlad (The Princess on the Glass Hill)
> 
> OC's Mentioned in this Fic:  
> Anteros Princely, successor of Cinderella's Prince  
> Venetia Soulsong, successor of Psyche
> 
> Canon Characters Mentioned in this Fic:  
> Ashlynn Ella, daughter of Cinderella  
> C.A. Cupid, daughter of Cupid

Rose de Beauté sprinted up to her parents as soon as she saw them, breaking from the procession of graduates without a care in the world (what were they going to do, give her detention?). She laughed as she collided with her father and let him spin her around with joy. "Rosie! Oh, _ma chérie,_ we're so very proud of you!" Her mother said, tears pricking her eyes. Rose's own eyes were a little misty as she broke away from Achille's embrace to hug Rouge.

"Thank you, Maman, it means so much to hear that."

Achille wrapped both his arms around his 'girls', as he'd call them, and softly whispered, "We love you so much, _ma chérie._ Congratulations." Rose sniffled a bit and nodded, content to feel her parents' warm embrace for a moment.

"Hey, what about me?! I graduated too you know!" Rose broke the hug with a fit of giggles, turning to find her boyfriend Andre Fairchild, standing with a hip cocked out and his arms held to the sides. "Don't I get a hug too?"

Rouge laughed brightly, coming up to wrap the boy's torso in her arms. "Of course, of course, _mon cher!_ We are just as proud of you, graduating with such high marks!"

Andre leaned down and put his own arms around the only mother he's ever known, kissing the top of her head in gratitude. "Thanks, Maman."

Achille, one hand still embracing Rose, came up and put the other on Andre's shoulder, a sad smile on his face. "We really are proud of you, Andre; I just wish your parents could be here to see you, I know they'd be just as proud as we are."

Andre's smile dimmed a bit, but he nodded softly. _"Oui,_ I hope so." He accepted Achille's arm around him for a moment, basking in the love that surrounded him, before gently breaking the hug. "Now, I think that's enough emotional talk! Let's see what's in Destiny Hall!" The de Beautés chuckled at that before allowing Rose to break the embrace as well. She smiled and reached out her hand for Andre's, who took it and allowed her to lead him up the steps to Destiny Hall with a brief wave back at their family.

Meanwhile, a similarly tearful reunion was happening a little ways away; Arion Neptune hugged his parents tightly, light sniffles coming from where he'd buried his face in his stepmother's neck like a child. His father rubbed soothing circles on his back, under the white cape inherited from his mother, and whispered comforting words into his curly hair. "Your mother would be so very proud of you, Ari, just as we are." All three were still amazed that they'd reached this point, that this day wasn't the terrible omen they'd imagined it would be, but full of relief and joy as Arion set out on his own path, free from the destiny that had shadowed him his whole life.

Eventually, though, Arion's sniffles fell softer, until they stopped, and he pulled back to give both parents in turn a watery smile. Suddenly he broke into uncharacteristic snickering, laughing at the situation they'd found themselves in. "You'd think I wouldn't be crying, since I don't have to start the tale tomorrow!" He gasped in between bouts of laughter. "Look at me, I'm a mess!" 

Aeolus and Peirene shared a look, then they too started giggling; what else could they do, faced with the absurdity of the moment. They all laughed for what felt like forever, but was really only a few minutes, before finally calming down. They all wiped their eyes, tears of joy and grief in turn mixing, then Arion turned towards Destiny Hall. He squared his shoulders, and with one glance back, he walked up the steps.

* * *

  
  
Inside, several other graduates were already going through their time capsules, marveling at the objects left inside and reading the letters they'd been given. Anteros Princely, with an arm wrapped around his once-storymate Ashlynn Ella and holding his brand new crown, chuckled at the advice her father had given him, to "never judge a girl by her shoe size"--ironic since Ashlynn herself was holding a new pair of sturdy boots. C.A. Cupid sighed with longing as she read her father's words: love was certainly worth waiting for, but having to wait a year for her Happily Ever After with Venetia still seemed like an eternity. She gazed down at the candle in her hand, enchanted so that the wax wouldn't burn her skin, and hoped it would make the lonely nights brighter as she waited.

Andre and Rose, having just walked in, parted with a kiss to Andre's cheek, heading for their respective time capsules. Rose paused in front of her capsule, gazing up at the painting it overlooked, a match to the one she'd seen at Thronecoming: a beautiful young woman holding a rose, a terrifying beast with a lonely heart behind her. She smiled softly, blowing a kiss, before looking down at the rose-covered nautical chest below her. She quickly unlocked it with the key from her diploma, and snorted in a decidedly un-beauty-like manner at the object inside: a little beast plushie, complete with a white rose in his hand. She picked it up and cuddled it close, vowing to tease Andre with it later, before pulling out the letter underneath it. As she'd expected, it was written in her father's large, loopy handwriting, and entirely in French. She closed the chest and sat down on it, cuddling the plush close to her heart as she began to read.

> _"My professor said I should write this in English since I don't know who my successor will be, but I think that's dumb because I know you'll be my child, and my children will speak French! If you aren't, though, I guess someone will have to translate for you. Such is life. Anyways, hello, future Beauty! I wish you the best of luck; it won't be easy, but one thing they don't tell you at Legacy Day is that Beauties are just as strong and resilient as they are beautiful, so be true to yourself, love, and you'll be fine. But also, don't be afraid to step up against cruelty, even if it's from your Beast; they may be your Destiny, but you don't have to take whatever they give you and just hope they'll change. Oh, and I might get in trouble for this, but I don't care: you don't have to marry your Beast if you don't want to, not if they haven't actually changed for the better. You're allowed to walk away after your destiny is complete, and if I'm not your father (though I hope I am), I'll support you. I don't think I'll have that issue with my Beast, but my parents definitely did, and... Just, I don't want that for you or for anyone. No matter what happens, though, know that good always prevails, even in the darkest times._
> 
> _Sincerely,_
> 
> _Achille de Beauté"_

Rose wiped a stray tear from her eye, a soft smile on her face. She looked up, and watched the other students read their letters, hoping they were as lovely as hers.

* * *

  
  
Arion slowly approached his coral-encrusted chest, feeling like a shell was lodged in his throat. He very decidedly did not look up at the painting above it, the image still seared in his mind from Thronecoming: a girl reaching out with an anguished cry as her lower body turned to foam on the sea. He stood before the chest for a long moment, its innocent appearance belying its emotional implications. Eventually, though, he sighed, and kneeled in front of it, gently unlocking the old padlock with his key. He lifted the lid slowly, a gasp leaving his lips as he gazed upon the treasure that lay inside. A pair of glass dancing shoes, done in an array of shimmering colors like the sunset on the sea, likely enchanted to fit him perfectly. He delicately pulled them out, smiling at the note that lay within them, written in a hand he'd only seen once or twice before: "May your dance with your prince feel lighter than air, even if it's only for a moment. -Eirene" 

He set them aside, not wanting to damage them before the Graduation Ball that evening, and picked up the letter they'd covered. It was slightly wrinkled, as if it had gotten wet while it was being written, and was done in the same small, rushed handwriting as the note.

> _"If you're reading this, I only pray that you aren't my child and that you were chosen for this role like I was. That sounds cruel, I know, and I'm sorry, but... But I just got the test back and it was positive, so maybe you'll understand that I just didn't want my baby following in my footsteps. This destiny, like all tragic roles, is a burden not to be taken lightly, but sometimes I think it's easier to be chosen each generation, knowing that at least you won't live long enough to pass it to your child. ...unless of course you are my child, in which case... I'm so sorry, darling, know that I love you so much already and that I never wished this for you._
> 
> _But that's enough about me, I'm supposed to be writing advice to you, so here's my thoughts: cherish every single moment you have with your friends and loved ones like it's your last, because one day it will be (sometimes sooner rather than later; if she's not your aunt, go talk to Peirene Melody, my Temple Girl, about it if you'd like). Don't let life just pass you by, don't close yourself off from it just because you think it'll be easier, because it won't be, and you'll only hurt yourself and your family more by doing so._
> 
> _Good luck, and I'll see you in the seafoam,_
> 
> _Eirene Melody"_

The end of the letter grew blurred through the tears coursing down his face, but he nodded rapidly anyways, knowing what his mother had been trying to tell him. He backed up, until he was against the wall behind the chest, under the painting of his forebear, and slowly slid down until he was sitting on the hard marble. There, hidden from the rest of his classmates, he allowed the sobs to come.

* * *

  
  
Andre strolled up to his ivy-covered glass capsule. He glanced up at his story's mural as he came to stop, matching the wink the Léandre in the painting gave him with a tip of his parrot-feathered hat before bending down to retrieve his gifts. The ivy unwrapped themselves with a wave of his hand so he could lift the cover off the box. He found a glass flute laying within, which he pulled out and played a few notes on. He was amazed to find the vines surrounding his little pedestal danced with every note, blooming little flowers for him as he played! He lowered the flute back down after a moment, wanting to read the letter he'd been left. He whipped it out and sat on the bed of vines that had appeared, and with a jovial smile began to read.

> _"Hey kiddo! Leon here, aka your predecessor, aka probably your dad so this is gonna feel pretty weird if you just saw me at the ceremony, huh? Sorry about that, but I guess that's how this goes! Teach says I have to give you some advice, but idk what to give you when I'm sure I'll give you all my advice at home! But I guess I'm supposed to assume you're just a successor, not my kid, so uh, I guess here's the one bit of advice that I want everyone to know, no matter what, but especially you since you're gonna follow my lead: just keep moving forward. Times may get rough, what with that imposter prince, trying to woo a fairy princess while invisible, falling in love with a girl who doesn't feel the same... It's hard, but you gotta keep moving forward or you'll never reach your true destiny._
> 
> _Also stay in school (even though you're graduated if you're reading this), don't do drugs, all of that stuff. Cool? Cool._
> 
> _Leon"_

By the time he'd finished reading, his once carefree attitude had left him; only a curious echo of grief remained, a longing for someone he barely remembered. A single tear rolled down his cheek; he didn't bother wiping it away, because that meant dropping one of the remaining pieces of his father, and suddenly that seemed unthinkable.

* * *

  
  
Kenneth and Karina Eikenkappe walked into the room of Lorewegian tales hand in hand; it reminded Karina of the plays of her childhood, when Cousin Niki would build her a stage, and Kenni would be her leading man, just them against the world. So much had changed since then, but she sensed this never would. 

Together they reached the center of the room and shared a look, then a nod, before breaking apart and heading to their separate tales. Karina glanced across at her brother's mural, a girl on a glass hill looking down at an ash-covered boy and his three metal horses, for only a moment, then she looked back up at her own mural. A girl in a wooden cloak and ash on her cheeks gazed down at her, surrounded by a forest of copper, silver and gold, holding onto the neck of a kindly bull. There was a time when such an image had filled Karina with a mix of dread and resolve; dread of what destiny might bring, but resolve to follow it exactly so that her mother might finally gift her with a proud smile. Now, however, it only filled her with a sense of peace, knowing that she could change the story to suit her own needs, regardless of her mother's thoughts on the matter. She looked down, then, at her rock-shaped capsule; she knocked on it gently, three raps, and moved back while it opened for her. Within was a tablecloth, folded up, embroidered with images of food and drink along the hem among geometric patterns of snowflakes and trees. She moved it aside slightly so she could pick up her letter, recognizing her mother's graceful, uniform handwriting in the Bokmål on the page.

> _"Dear Kari,_
> 
> _I hope life is treating you well in the future. We don't know if you'll be a successor or a descendant of mine, so I'll keep this as neutral as possible. I'm not one for flowery words, so I'll get straight to the point, and my piece of advice for you: take breaks when you need to. Learning to run an entire kingdom is stressful, and tiring, and time consuming, so find time to rest and relax when you can. People may say you need to always be busy, that it's your responsibility, but I think it's more responsible to listen to what you need most at any moment. But we Trestakks are a strong breed, so I don't think you'll have much trouble._
> 
> _Regards, Kjersti"_

Short, and to the point; it was so much like her mother that Karina had to let out a small chuckle, locking eyes with her brother from across the room. It seemed he was holding headphones, no doubt useful for blocking out loud rumbles of thunder and stampeding. He smiled, nodding at his letter before going back to reading it. She, too, looked back down at her letter, but her eye caught on something else; an envelope, partially hidden under her tablecloth. Curious, she sat her mother's letter down on the cloth, then gingerly pulled the second envelope out, flipping it over to see who it was addressed to.

She nearly dropped it in shock, her other hand coming up to cover her mouth as struggled to comprehend what she was reading.

 _"Bror."_ (Brother.)

Kenneth looked up again, alarmed by Karina's tone. _"Ja? Hva er det?"_ (Yes? What is it?)

Karina slowly shook her head. _"Kom, du må se det."_ (Come, you must see it.) Her tone left no room for argument, so he gently sat his gifts down next to the wooden box and jogged lightly over to her. He came to stand behind her, looking over her shoulder at the envelope in her hand.

He, too, gasped in shock as he read the words _"Min Kjære Kari"_ in his father's handwriting; it was shakier than he remembered, but it was unmistakably his. _"Pappa... Skrev Pappa et brev til deg?"_ (Dad... Dad wrote a letter to you?)

Karina could only nod, hands shaking as she opened the envelope and pulled out the letter, written on the familiar stationary of the royal family. She unfolded it slowly, carefully, unwilling to risk damaging something so precious. Together, the twins read their father's letter; they found, however, after the first sentence they couldn't keep standing, and collapsed as one, curled into each other, children huddled under a blanket fort where nothing could ever hurt them.

> _"My dearest little Kari,_
> 
> _Congratulations, my darling; if you're reading this, you've made it to graduation day at Ever After High; I almost can't imagine it, writing this while I watch you and your brother sleep at just 10 years old. It's a high achievement, and one you should be proud of; I know I am, even though... I know I won't be there with you to see it. I wish I could be, dearest, if you know nothing else, know that. But through this letter, and my memory, I'm there with you in spirit, cheering both of you on as you move to the next phase of your lives. I know you'll make a wonderful queen some day; why wouldn't you be, you're my daughter! And Kennibjørn will be the best King Agdersen og Togaland has ever known; tell him for me, would you, dearest? I don't know if I have the strength to write a letter for him too, no matter how I may want to. I know times will have been rough without me, but you're so strong already at 10, I know you'll be just as strong as you read this at 18, and you'll push through with that fighting spirit I've always so admired. Keep your head up, Min Kjære Kari, Min Lille Kennibjørn, and keep moving forward._
> 
> _Good luck, and may your destiny be filled with light._
> 
> _Love, Pappa"_

The letter fell, then, from lax fingers, as Karina's whole body was wracked with sobs. She buried her face in her brother's shoulder, her cries only somewhat muffled by the thick fabric of his graduation gown. Kenneth, for his part, wrapped his arms tightly around her shaking shoulders, his own tears running down his face and into her hair as he rested his chin on the top of her head. They sat there for a long time, letting their shared grief run its course, knowing that was the only way to let it go.

* * *

  
  
It was a long while before Arion stood from behind his capsule. The other graduates had already trickled out, leaving him alone in the room. He gazed down at his mother's letter one last time, then folded it up with a sigh before picking up his new shoes and making his way to the entrance of the room. He glanced back exactly once, the light hitting his mural in just the right way that the waves appeared to sparkle; it was beautiful, in a melancholy way. He still hoped he'd never have to see it again.

He looked forward again, into the main hall. He was surprised to find that he wasn't the only person left; there was Andre, his roommate and best friend for the past three years, just coming out of the Prench Tales wing. His eyes were just as bloodshot as Arion's were, a rare sight indeed. They locked eyes, and moved to meet in between their two doorways.

"You lose track of time too?" Arion asked, pointedly looking at the clock on the wall showing the late hour.

Andre nodded. _"Oui._ Just... Had a lot to think about. It didn't hit me until now, but these are the last things I'll ever get from my first parents; it took a while to process, you know?"

Arion wrapped a sympathetic arm around his taller friend, a sad smile in his eyes. "Yeah, I know." Andre wrapped his own longer arm around him, sharing in the camaraderie of losing a parent before you ever really knew them. They stood together for a moment, before they heard another voice ring out.

"Is there room in that hug for two more?" Both boys looked up to find Karina and Kenneth emerging from the Lorewegian room. They each had an arm around the other, as if the thought of separating even a little was unbearable, and their steps were nearly in sync as the came up to their friends.

Andre opened his other arm wide, grinning brightly. "Always, _mes amis,_ you know that!" His voice grew softer as they moved into the shared embrace, spotting the tear-stained letter in Karina's hand. "Especially when we're all feeling the same pain, yes?"

Both twins nodded, and accepted Arion's other arm coming up to join Andre's. Together, all four shared the pain of loss, but also the relief of knowing that the coming years would be better for it, or maybe in spite of it. They stood for a long few minutes, just feeling their kinship with each other, until the clock chimed it's warning that the building would be disappearing within the hour.

That broke the four apart with a soft chuckle. "We'd best get on out of here, yeah?" Arion said, gesturing toward the doors. "We might get stuck if we don't." The others nodded in agreement, and together all four walked out the doors of Destiny Hall, finally ready to celebrate the start of the rest of their lives.

_Fin._


End file.
